Carpet cleaning compositions have recently been developed which are handled as dry powders. These comprise finely divided organic polymer particles, a cleaning fluid which can be an organic liquid or water or a combination of these, and surfactants, antistatic agents and other optional additives such as odorants. Such compositions function by dissolving the soil with the cleaning liquid, absorbing it into the polymer particles, and removing the particles and their absorbed soil by vacuum. Particularly satisfactory cleaning compositions of this type are described in detail in the copending, coassigned application of Froehlich and Lautenberger, U.S. Ser. No. 433,707, filed Jan. 16, 1974 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,594, and its German equivalent application P 2261587.8, published June 15, 1974, both hereby incorporated by reference.
While compositions of this kind have been shown to provide excellent carpet cleaning, especially small polymer particles can occasionally adhere to the textile fibers being cleaned after removal of the majority of the particles. This causes an objectionable discoloration, or "frosted" appearance, particularly noticeable on dark colored articles. Since cleaning procedures necessarily agitate the particles in contact with fibers and soil deposits, it is normally impossible to prevent formation of some of the especially small particles due to attrition of the particles grinding against one another. The ordinary methods for removing the soil and the particles, such as vacuum cleaning and brushing, are not capable of removing these very fine polymer residues.